My dad was Stinson Behlen of Southern Highland Dulcimers in Slaton, TX. Daddy died last March after a long illness. He died at home after falling in his kitchen and hitting his head. The doctor said that Daddy's heart just stopped. He is buried alongside his wife, Norene, in Slaton, TX.
I have had emails and phone calls from Harold Herrington, Stephen Mills and others about Daddy and learned many things from them I did not know. For instance, I wasn't aware that Daddy had his "Cajun Queens" manufactured in Germany. I just thought he made him at his little shop behind his house.
After his death I sold quite a few of the things from his shop on Ebay as well as to individuals in New Mexico near where I live in Hobbs. One man who lives in Eunice, NM makes guitars and was tickled to death to get some of Daddy's tools and guitar parts.
As for his books, I sold the instructional books online. I never saw the collection of books mentioned by Mr. Mills but wish I had them now to give to him. He is right that most of the magazines and books Daddy had were in German. He even had two vintage accordion instructional books printed in pre-war Germany that I sold to a collector in Scotland.
Thanks to the internet, people in Japan, Scotland and England are now enjoying some of Daddy's things. I have one hammered dulcimer, one Cajun Queen concertina and two regular dulcimer made by my father. My brother has another Cajun Queen. As far as I know, these are the last two Daddy had made before he became too old and ill to make instruments anymore. He hadn't made anything in several years but did repair a few guitars and things for the people in his area. The shop behind his house, built by him and my brother in the late 70's, is gone now. Daddy's landlord tore it down less than a month after his death.
Daddy talked about Willie Nelson, Leon Russell, Lee Greenwood and Michael Martin Murphy as if they were old friends and not celebrities.
Daddy always called me around three o'clock on Sunday afternoons and I still sometimes think it is he who is calling when the phone rings at that time. . .
I have many memories of Daddy -- good and bad -- but one thing is for sure: God broke the mold after He made him.
